Record/playback apparatus automatically skips unnecessary information during playback

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a digital signal on a recording medium having at least a program start signal and program information recorded thereon, further records an identifying code signal indicating the start of unnecessary information on the recording medium during a predetermined time period, and, in a playback mode, when such identifying code signal is detected, the recording medium is transported at high speed and, when a program start signal is next detected, the recording medium is again transported at a normal speed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to apparatus for recording and/orreproducing a digital signal and more particularly to an apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing a digital signal in a so-called digitalaudio tape recorder and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

So-called digital audio tape recorders (DAT) that are now underdevelopment are of the fixed or stationary head type (S-DAT) or of therotary head type (R-DAT). In the stationary head type digital audio taperecorder, a digital audio signal is recorded in many tracks parallel tothe longitudinal direction of a tape by using a multi-track stationaryhead. In the rotary head type digital audio tape recorder, a digitalaudio signal is recorded in tracks skewed relative to the longitudinaldirection of the tape by rotary heads of the helical scanning system.

FIG. 1 shows a tape format used in the above mentioned rotary head typedigital audio tape recorder. Examples of various dimensions in FIG. 1will be indicated below.

    ______________________________________                                        A        tape width           3.81 mm                                         W        effective recording width                                                                          2.61 mm                                         Vt       tape speed           7.20 mm/s                                       L        track length        23.5 mm                                          P        track pitch         12.0 μm                                       θ  track angle         6° 22'                                    α  azimuth angle of head gaps                                                                        ±20°                                   ______________________________________                                    

In a recorder for use with the above defined tape format, a rotary headdrum about which the tape is wrapped has a diameter of 30 mm and isrotated at a speed of 2000 rpm, by way of example. Further, therecording speed (Vh in FIG. 1) is selected to be 3.13 mm/s and the tapewrapping angle is selected to be 90°.

If, for example, music is recorded by the rotary head type digital audiotape recorder, the recording is carried out in accordance with a trackformat and a block format shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3A and 3B,respectively. At such time, positional information, such as, a programnumber, a track number, a time code (code indicating the time, inminutes and seconds, from the starting point of the program) and thelike, and sub-codes containing other necessary auxiliary data are alsorecorded.

As FIG. 2 shows that one track, which is recorded by one rotary head, isformed of 196 blocks, in which a PCM (pulse code modulated) audio datarecording area comprised of 128 blocks is substantially centered inrespect to the length of the track. An ATF (automatic track following)area comprised of 5 blocks and in which a pilot signal for the trackingoperation is recorded is provided at opposite sides of the PCM audiodata recording area, and sub-code areas 1 and 2 each comprised of 8blocks for recording sub-code data are provided outside the ATF areas.

The PCM area and the sub-code areas 1 and 2 are provided with respectivePLL (phase locked loop) areas of 2 blocks each for synchronization. GAPareas of 3 blocks each are provided between the PCM area and the ATFareas and between the latter and the sub-code areas 1 and 2. If thetiming for switching the recording mode and the playback mode is matchedwith the gap areas between the PCM area and the sub-code areas 1 and 2,it becomes possible to independently record the PCM audio signal or thesub-code signal. The track format of FIG. 2 is completed by margin areasof 11 blocks at the opposite ends of the track and by post amble areasof 1 block situated between sub-code area 1 and the adjacent GAP andbetween sub-code area 2 and the adjacent margin area. The numerals ofFIG. 2 will be seen to indicate the numbers of blocks that constitutethe respective areas.

As shown in FIG. 3A, each block is formed of 288 bits and includes an8bit-block synchronizing signal, an 8-bit identifying code (hereinaftersimply referred to as ID code), an 8-bit address code, an 8-bit paritycode and 256-bit data (PCM data or sub-code data) which are sequentiallylocated in the order given. The MSB (most significant bit) of the blockaddress code is assigned "0" in each block containing PCM data and "1"in each block containing sub-code data as shown in FIG. 3B.

The ID code in each block containing PCM data is used to indicate theuse of audio data, emphasis characteristic, quantization characteristic,sampling frequency, the number of channels, the presence or absence ofediting of the PCM audio signal and the like. In each block containingsub-code data, the presence or absence of editing of the sub-code data,a recording start point (head) of the recorded program, interval to beskipped in the playback mode and so on are assigned to the MSB,2SB(second significant bit), 3SB (third significant bit), . . . , of the8-bit ID code, respectively.

At the start portion of each program, the 2SB of the ID code in a blockcontaining sub-code data becomes "1" for 10 seconds and is used as aprogram start signal. The 2SB of the ID code in a block containingsub-code data is recorded as "0" in portions other than the startportion of each program.

Further, the interval on the tape in which the 3SB of the ID code in ablock containing sub-code data becomes "0" is normally reproduced in theplayback mode, whereas, in the interval in which the 3SB of the ID codeof each such block becomes "1", the program recorded in that interval isconsidered to be unnecessary and is skipped in the playback mode. Such3SB of the ID code is referred to as a "skip bit" hereinafter.

When a program, for example, music recorded on the magnetic tape, isreproduced and listened to, there may be a non-recorded (blank) portionon the tape or a portion in which unnecessary information is recorded.In that case, it is desirable that the blank portion or unnecessaryinformation be skipped and that the music be reproduced and listened towithout intermission.

In order to skip the blank portion, it is sufficient that the blankstate or interval be detected by sensing the level of the reproducedaudio signal, and when this blank state or interval lasts, for example,more than 10 seconds, the magnetic tape is transported at a high speed,for example, 16 times the normal tape speed.

Alternatively, in order to skip the tape portion containing unnecessaryinformation, it has been the practice, by way of example, tocontinuously record the above-mentioned skip bit of the sub-code alongthe entire interval on the magnetic tape to be skipped, as indicated at(SKIP ID) on FIG. 4. When this skip mark (SKIP ID) is detected in theplayback mode, the magnetic tape is transported at the high tape speed,for example, 16 times as high as the normal tape speed.

However, in the case of the conventional system in which the skip bit iscontinuously recorded along the interval of the magnetic tape which isto be skipped, only the interval in which the skip bit exists is skippedso that the skip interval is cleared. When the skip bit is recorded onthe sub-code area in the so-called after-recording mode, anafter-recording time corresponding to the time interval to be skipped isrequired. In other words, if there is a portion of the recorded programto be skipped which continues for a substantial period, for example, 3minutes, it is necessary that the start thereof be specified at acertain point, the end thereof be specified at a different point, andthe interval between the start and end points be recorded in theafter-recording mode for 3 minutes to record the skip bit therealong.Further, when the recorded skip bit is to be erased, the same timeperiod is required.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedapparatus for recording and/or reproducing a digital signal.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing a digital signal which can considerablyreduce the time required to record or erase a skip bit or identifyingcode signal indicating unnecessary information.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing a digital signal which is particularlysuited for use as a so-called digital audio tape recorder.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing a digital signal comprises a recordingmedium on which at least a program information signal and a programstart signal indicating the start of the program information signal arerecorded, and means for recording a skip identifying code signal, thatis, a skip bit, only at a start portion of unnecessary programinformation on the recording medium. Thereafter, until the next programstart signal is detected, the recording medium is transported at anarbitrary high speed. In the playback mode, when the skip identifyingcode signal is detected, the recording medium is transported at highspeed until the next program start signal is detected, whereupon therecording medium is transported at the normal speed.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention, will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, throughout which the same reference numerals are used todesignate like elements and parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical representation of an example of a prior arttape format of a rotary head type digital audio tape recorder;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation showing an example of a priorart track format of a rotary head type digital audio tape recorder;

FIG. 3A is a diagrammatic representation of a prior art block format ofa rotary head type digital audio tape recorder, and FIG. 3B is adiagrammatical representation of address codes used in such prior artblock format;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical representation of the recording of a skip IDin an example of a prior art rotary head type digital audio taperecorder;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical representation used to explain a fundamentalprinciple of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an apparatus forrecording and/or reproducing a digital signal according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart used to explain the operation of the apparatus ofFIG. 6 in recording a skip identifying code on a recording medium inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart used to explain the operation of the apparatus ofFIG. 6 in reproducing a skip identifying code from a recording medium ina playback mode of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a digital signal apparatusaccording to an embodiment of this invention will hereinafter bedescribed with reference to the attached drawings.

However, initially, a fundamental principle of this invention will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 5. In accordance with this invention,as shown on FIG. 5, in the so-called after-recording mode, a skipidentifying code signal (SKIP ID) relating to unnecessary information isrecorded only at the start end portion of the unnecessary informationduring a short time period, for example, corresponding to at least 2tracks. The end or terminal portion of the unnecessary information isindicated by the start end portion of the succeeding program startsignal (START ID) that was previously recorded on the recording medium.The skip identifying code signal (SKIP ID) is recorded in theafter-recording mode and, for the duration of the unnecessaryinformation portion, the recording medium is transported at an arbitraryhigh speed at which the succeeding program start signal can still bedetected. When the next program start signal (START ID) is detected, theapparatus is returned to the playback mode.

In the playback mode, when the skip identifying code signal (SKIP ID) isdetected, the apparatus is changed-over to the high speed (fast-forward)search mode and the unnecessary information is skipped until the nextprogram start signal is detected and then the apparatus is returned tothe playback mode.

Since according to the present invention as described above, in theafter-recording mode, the skip identifying code signal (SKIP ID) isrecorded only at the start end portion of the unnecessary informationfor a short time period and the recording medium is then transported atthe arbitrary high speed until the succeeding program start signal isdetected, it is not necessary to record the skip identifying code signal(SKIP ID) over the whole interval of the unnecessary information.Therefore, unlike the prior art, the time necessary for recording theskip identifying code signal (SKIP ID) can be reduced considerably.Further, when the recorded skip identifying code signal (SKIP ID) is tobe erased, such code can be erased in a quite short time period.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it will be seen that, in an embodiment ofapparatus for recording and/or reproducing a digital signal according tothe present invention, an analog signal, for example, an audio signal,applied to an input terminal 1 is supplied through a low pass filter(LPF) 2 to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 3 in which the analogsignal is converted to a digital signal. The digital signal from A/Dconverter 3 is supplied through a fixed contact a of a switching circuit4 to a recording signal generating circuit 5. If the switching circuit 4is changed-over to its other fixed contact b, a digital signal appliedto a terminal 6 may be directly applied to the recording signalgenerating circuit 5.

The recording signal generating circuit 5 carries out, on the basis of atiming signal TM from a timing signal generating circuit 7, suitablesignal processing, such as, the addition of an error correction code forthe data, the interleaving of the data, the modulation of the data andso on. The resulting processed digital signal is supplied from recordingsignal generating circuit 5 to a switching circuit 8. The switchingcircuit 8 is used to switch from one to the other of two rotary magneticheads 11A and 11B in accordance with a switching signal SW1 from timingsignal generating circuit 7. The switching circuit 8 is alternatelyswitched by signal SW1 between a half-revolution period including a tapecontact period of the head 11A and a half-revolution period including atape contact period of the head 11B. The timing signal generatingcircuit 7 is supplied with a pulse having a frequency 33.3 Hz indicativeof the rotary phases of the rotary heads 11A and 11B and which isgenerated from a pulse generator (not shown) in synchronism with therotation of a motor which rotates the rotary heads 11A and 11B. Thesignal from switching circuit 8 which is changed-over by the switchingsignal SW1 from the timing signal generating circuit 7 is amplified byone or the other of amplifiers 9A and 9B and then supplied throughcontact R of switching circuit 10A or 10B to the rotary magnetic head11A or 11B and thereby recorded on a magnetic tape 14 running betweenreels 12 and 13. The switching circuits 10A and 10B engage theircontacts R in the recording mode, and engage their contacts P in thereproducing or playback mode.

Amplifiers 15A and 15B are connected to receive and amplify reproducedoutputs alternately provided by the corresponding rotary heads 11A and11B when the switching circuits 10A and 10B are engaged with theircontacts P, respectively. The outputs from amplifiers 15A and 15B aresupplied to respective fixed contacts of a switching circuit 16. Inresponse to a switching signal SW2 having a frequency of 33.3 Hz andbeing supplied from timing signal generating circuit 7, switchingcircuit 16 is alternately changed-over, similarly to the action ofswitching circuit 8 in the recording mode, between the half-revolutionperiod including the tape contact period of the rotary head 11A and thehalf-revolution period including the tape contact period of the head11B.

The output signal SOUT from switching circuit 16 is supplied through anelectromagnetic transducer system formed of an equalizer 17, acomparator 18 and a PLL (phase locked loop) circuit 19 to an errorcorrection circuit 20 in which error correction is carried out, ifnecessary. The resulting signal from error correction circuit 20 issupplied to a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter 21 in which thereproduced digital signal is converted to an analog signal. Theresulting analog signal from the D/A converter 21 is delivered through alow pass filter 22 to an output terminal 23 at which the reproducedanalog signal is derived.

When it is desired that the digital data be directly obtained, it can bederived from a terminal 24 connected to the output of error correctioncircuit 20.

A sub-code micro-computer 25 serving as an interface is connected withan output of error correction circuit 20. The sub-code microcomputer 25is used to extract the sub-code containing the program number, the timecode and so on and in which the respective data are identified. Acontrol signal C1 based on the identified data is supplied from sub-codemicrocomputer 25 to a system controller 26 that employs a microcomputerand is adapted to control the whole system in accordance with thisinvention.

The system controller 26 is provided with a plurality of switches orpush buttons necessary for selecting the desired mode of operation. InFIG. 6, only a skip identifying code recording push button (SKIP ID REC)27 and a skip on and off push button (SKIP ID ON/OFF) 28 are illustratedas being typical of such push buttons. The skip identifying coderecording push button 27 is actuable to cause recording of the skipidentifying code signal in the after-recording mode. The skip on and offpush button 28 is displaced to its ON position when it is desired toskip the unnecessary information in the playback mode, while it isturned off when skipping of the unnecessary information is not desiredeven though the skip identifying code signal exists on the tape.

A drum servo circuit 30 is provided which is controlled by the systemcontroller 26. This drum servo circuit 30 is used to control a drummotor 31 for rotating a tape guide drum (not shown) on which rotaryheads 11A and 11B are mounted. A reel driving circuit 32 provides reeldrive signals RD to reel motors 33 and 34 for rotating the reels 12 and13, respectively. In response to a suitable mode switching signal MSfrom system controller 26, reel driving circuit 32 changes the level ofdrive currents that applied therefrom to reel motors 33 and 34 forcontrolling the operations of the latter.

A capstan servo circuit 35 is provided which is also controlled bysystem controller 26 and this capstan servo circuit 35 is used tocontrol a capstan motor 37 which drives a capstan 36. For the capstan 36there is provided a pinch roller and a conventional plunger circuit (notshown) by which movements of the pinch roller against and away fromcapstan 36, with the tape therebetween, ar suitably controlled.

The operation of recording the skip identifying code signal will now bedescribed with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 7.

At first, system controller 26 is operated to place the recording and/orreproducing apparatus embodying the invention in the playback mode forreproducing the recorded information or audio signal. Thereafter, whilemonitoring the audio signal developed at the output terminal 23, when aportion of the audio signal that the user does not want to listen toagain, that is, unnecessary program information, is heard, SKIP IDRECORDING push button 27 is depressed or actuated. When actuation ofpush-button 27 is detected in step 51, the recording and reproducingapparatus embodying the invention is controlled by system controller 26so as to be placed in the after-recording mode. In the after-recordingmode, the skip identifying code signal derived from recording signalgenerating circuit 5 is recorded by rotary heads 11A and 11B at the 3SBin the ID code of blocks in the sub-code area of tracks on magnetic tape14 containing the start end portion of the unnecessary information. Moreparticularly, in step S2, "1" is recorded for a predetermined timeperiod, for example, at least, the time corresponding to the scanning oftwo tracks, at the 3SB of the ID code in blocks containing sub-codedata.

When the recording of the skip identifying code signal is ended, reeldrive circuit 32 is controlled by system controller 26 so that themagnetic tape 14 can be moved at an arbitrary high tape speed at whichat least the program start signal recorded on the magnetic tape 14 canbe detected (at step S3). When the program start signal is detected,that is, when the fact that the 2SB of the ID code signal recorded onthe sub-code area is "1" is detected in step S4, system controller 26controls the apparatus to return to the playback mode with the tapebeing driven at its normal speed so as to reproduce program informationsubsequent to the program start signal, as in step S5.

Next, the operation to reproduce the skip identifying code signal fromthe recording medium will be described with reference to the flow chartof FIG. 8.

When a play button (not shown) is depressed, the apparatus is controlledby system controller 26 so as to be placed in the playback mode.Thereafter, if the skip ID code signal on and off push button 28 isdetected in step S10 to be in its ON position and, in step S20, the skipidentifying code is detected in the sub-code area, that is, the 3SB ofthe ID code signal recorded on the sub-code area is detected to be "1",the apparatus is changed-over in step S30, from the playback mode to thehigh speed search mode in which the magnetic tape 14 is transported athigh tape speed. In such high speed search mode, the ID code signal inthe sub-code area is reproduced and, when the next program start signalis detected in step S40, that is, the 2SB of the ID code signal recordedin the sub-code area is detected to be "1", the apparatus is returned,in step S50, from the high speed search mode to the playback mode. Inother words, the unnecessary information portion is skipped.

On the other hand, if skip ID code on and off pushbutton 28 is detectedto be in its OFF position in step S10, even if the skip identifying codesignal is detected in the playback mode, skipping of the respectiveinformation is not carried out, and the program information isreproduced as it is, that is, without omission or skipping.

According to the present invention as set forth above, after the skipidentifying code signal relating to unnecessary information is recordedat the start end portion of the unnecessary information for apredetermined relatively short time period, the recording medium istransported at an arbitrary high speed until the next program startsignal is detected, that is, until the end portion of the unnecessaryinformation.

In other words, it is unnecessary to record the skip identifying codesignal relating to the unnecessary information over the whole area ofthe unnecessary information as distinguished from the prior art. Thus,it becomes possible to considerably reduce the time required forrecording the skip identifying code signal in the after-recording mode.Further, when it is desired to erase the skip identifying code signal,such erasure can be effected in a relatively short time. In addition,when the skip identifying code signal is detected in the playback mode,the apparatus is changed-over to the high speed (fast-foward) searchmode, so that if the succeeding program start signal is searched for andthen reproduced, it becomes possible to quickly find the start portionof the next program information to playback the same.

Although a single preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed above with reference to the drawings, it will be apparent thatthe invention is not limited to that precise embodiment and that manymodifications and variations could be effected therein by one skilled inthe art without department from the spirit or scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing aprogram information signal comprising:a recording medium on which atleast a program information signal and a program start signal indicativeof the start of said program information signal are recorded; transportmeans for controlling the transport of said recording medium; means forreproducing said program information signal recorded on said recordingmedium .Iadd.as said recording medium is transported by said transportmeans; skip identifying code recording switch means.Iaddend.; and.Iadd.means responsive to said switch means .Iaddend.for recording askip identifying code signal indicative .[.only of a start portion.]. ofan unnecessary program information on said recording medium .Iadd.asreproduced by said means for reproducing, said skip identifying codesignal being short relative to the length of the unnecessary programinformation.Iaddend..
 2. The apparatus for recording and/or reproducinga program information signal according to claim 1; wherein said programstart signal .Iadd.together with a parity code for the programinformation signal .Iaddend.and said skip identifying code signal arerecorded on said recording medium at a region on the latter spaced apartfrom a region in which said program information signal is recorded. 3.The apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a program informationsignal according to claim 1; further comprising: first detecting meansfor detecting said skip identifying code signal when a programinformation signal is being reproduced from said recording medium;second detecting means for detecting said program start signal;.Iadd.skip identifying on/off switch means; .Iaddend.and control means.Iadd.responsive to said switch means .Iaddend.for controlling saidtransport means such that the latter is changed from a normal transportmode to a high speed transport mode in response to detection of saidskip identifying code signal by said first detecting means and saidtransport means is returned from said high speed transport mode to thenormal transport mode in response to detection of said program startsignal by said second detecting means. .Iadd.
 4. An apparatus forreproducing a program information signal from a recording medium thatalso includes unnecessary information, at least one skip identifyingcode signal, and at least one program start signal comprising:firstdetecting means for detecting a skip identifying code signal indicativeof unnecessary program information on said recording medium when aprogram information signal is being reproducing by the recording medium,said skip identifying code signal being short relative to the length ofthe undesired program information and being located at the startthereof; second detecting means for detecting a program start signalindicative of the start of a program information signal on the recordingmedium; transport means for controlling the transport of the recordingmedium in at least a normal recording medium transport mode and a highspeed transport mode; skip identifying code on/off switch means; andcontrol means responsive to said switch means for changing from a normalrecording medium transport mode to a high speed transport mode inresponse to detection of the skip identifying code by said firstdetecting means, and for changing from the high speed transport mode tothe normal transport mode in response to detection of the program startsignal by said second detecting means. .Iaddend.